Champion Of The Pantheon
by Egghead
Summary: Summary: A champion for the Pantheon is chosen by the Goblet Of Fire. And it is none other then the long lost, Chiron raised Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Percy Jackson or any of their characters, ok?
1. Chapter 1

**Champion Of The Pantheon**

**Summary: A champion for the Pantheon is chosen by the Goblet Of Fire. And it is none other then the long lost, Chiron raised Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Percy Jackson or any of their characters, ok?**

**Chapter 1: The Fourth Champion**

"Representing the Pantheon, Harry Potter."

Dumbledore's hand shook as he read the slip of paper ejected by the Goblet Of Fire after the third and supposedly final participant of the Tri-Wizard Tournament had been selected. This was definitely NOT the manner in which he wanted his nephew to be re-introduced to the Wizarding World if he ever chose to return. But his hand had been forced by the unseen enemy.

And to make matters worse, the enemy seem to be somewhat aware of Harry's heritage if he were to go by the wording in the slip of paper he was holding.

Only a select few knew of Harry's divine lineage as well as his own. That had been the very reason he opted to send him across the oceans after the deaths of his parents (or technically just one of his parents. The other one was just forced to abandon his mortal form) to a certain camp run by his own former combat instructor. It was to both protect him and prepare his for his destiny. So how the opposition discovered it was still a mystery to him.

So preoccupied was Dumbledore in his dilemma that he failed to notice the sudden appearance and subsequent disturbance that the owner of the name in the controversial piece of paper was making.

"Who are you and how did you bloody get into Hogwarts? Watch out! He's armed with a sword! Aurors arrest the intruder!"

"Hey! Keep the hell away from me before I run you through like a barbeque. I'm not moving an inch until someone tells me where the hell I am and how the fuck I got here. I swear that if this is one of Dad's damned pranks, I'll..."

The rest of the words that were spoken was in greek which nobody but Dumbledore understood and quite explicit in nature.

But then again, Dumbledore and quite possibly the stern deputy Headmistress judging by the expression on her face, were the only ones in attendance who recognized who the speaker was. They were, after all, the ones who delivered him to the overseas camp. They were also one of the few who actively blocked demands from various sectors to know where the 'The-Boy-Who-Live' was hidden away.

But now it would seem that they found a way to bring him back into the spotlight. And there was little that Dumbledore or McGonagall could do about it.

Current crisis aside though, it was good to hear Harry's voice. They had very few opportunities to actually visit the boy over the years and floo calls and mail via Fawkes were never enough.

And it was still rather ironic that despite the fact that he was raised by one of the most polite beings in the world, he STILL had a mouth that would put most sailors to shame.

Knowing the nature of the camp Harry lived in, the Headmaster decides to intervene before he truly did run someone through in self defense. Walking towards the source of the disturbance, he sees a handful of red robed aurors surrounding a shorter figure wearing what seems to be a greek styled helmet, arm bracers, greaves and breastplate over a shirt and jeans and wielding a short, sword and a round, bronze colored shield.

"Aurors stand down!" Dumbledore calls out. "He is not a threat to anybody here."

"Are you mad Albus?" A thin, gaunt man with a short mustache demanded. "An armed intruder apparating into Hogwarts and you say he is not a threat?"

"Uncle Albus? Aunt Minnie?" The armored figure asks suddenly. "Whats going on here?"

"Yes it is indeed us my boy. Now if you'll put away your weapons, I can assure you that all will be explained in due time."

Dumbledore then faces the gaunt man. "Ask your aurors to stand down Barty. As I've said, he is no threat to anyone unless you are foolish enough to attack him first. And even then, I can assure you that anyone who does so will most certainly regret their actions."

Reluctantly, the man gives the order and the aurors lower their wands and step away from Harry. Only then did he drop his guard. He sheaths his sword and removes his helmet and tucking it under his right arm, revealing a youthful face wearing a pair of horn rimmed glasses which only served to intensify his bright green eyes and had a messy mop of black hair which he brushes back, exposing a lightning bolt shaped scar on the right part of his forehead.

He then walks up to Dumbledore and McGonagall and, much to the surprise of everyone present, hugs them both in turn.

"Its been a while Uncle Albus. Aunt Minnie." Harry said with a smile.

"Indeed it has Harry. Two years to be exact." McGonagall said, smiling kindly at the young man who was the son of two of her best students and close friends. "You are looking healthy."

"We heard about that crisis in Manhattan and must apologize for not being able to send assistance as we were dealing with a crisis of our own." Dumbledore said. "Is Chiron doing well?"

"As well as can be expected Uncle. Still kicking our collective asses figuratively AND literally." Harry said with a grin. "Can't complain about the results though."

The gaunt man called Barty growls impatiently and rudely interrupts the small reunion. "Yes yes... Save your reunion for later. Lets continue on with this, shall we?

"Amazing. Simply amazing." Another man in what looked like a bright yellow with black stripes wizarding version of a jersey said. Judging from his still square jawed and broad shouldered appearance, he seemed to have been an athlete in his younger days but now simply looked washed up. "Now we have to go inform the other schools of Mr. Potter's participation in this tournament."

Harry turns his gaze towards the man called Barty and the second man, causing them to twitch uncomfortably before looking back at Dumbledore and McGonagall. "What's this all about anyways?"

The Headmaster gestures ahead. "Walk with me and I'll explain along the way." The leave amidst the whispers from the students in the Great Hall and as they walked towards the small antechamber where the other champions were, Dumbledore gives him a brief overview of the Tri-Wizard tournament.

Needless to say, by the time Harry entered the antechamber, he was severely unimpressed.

"Okay then. To summarize, my name came out of that oversized wineglass back there..." Harry started as they drew near to the room.

"Its a goblet Harry." McGonagall corrected dryly.

"Same difference." He said absently before continuing. "...To compete as a participant in a possibly life threatening tournament of which I haven't heard before in a school of which this is the first time I've been in? Excuse me but doesn't that sound like a goddamned setup to you?"

"Language Harry." Dumbledore mildly rebuked.

"Sorry." Harry mutters, sounding properly chastised.''

"But you are essentially correct down to the last point." Dumbledore allowed. "It is rather perplexing how your name came out of the goblet when you weren't even present to place your name in it. And even if you were, the ageline ward would not allow it."

As the party entered the room, the yellow clad wizard took the time to announce Harry's participation in the tournament. Harry of course, was not happy about the wizard's declaration because it essentially painted a huge target on his back and made his opinion known.

"Hey! Blondie!"

"My name is Ludo Bagman." The elder man said.

"I don't care. What are you stupid or something?" Harry demanded. "Read my lips Ludo Bag-Of-Shit. I... AM... NOT... A... CHAMPION... OF... THIS... GODDAMNED... TOURNAMENT."

Unfortunately for Harry, it did little to change the opinion of the others in the room.

"What iz zis Dumbly-dor? Do you honestly expect us to believe zat you had no part in ze inclusion of a leetle boy long missing from your country in a tournament your school iz hosting?" The massive headmistress of Beauxbatons, Madame Maxine said. "Ces't impossible."

"I agree with Madame Maxine." The Durmstrang headmaster, Kakkarof rumbled. "The way I see it, Hogwarts decided to improve it's chances by fielding not one but TWO champions under the pretense that the second champion is competing under this... 'Pantheon'. And to make things worse, the second champion is Magical Britain's 'Golden Boy' which in itself is already suspicious enough. If that is the case, I demand that both our schools be allowed to field in another champion. It's only fair."

"We at Hogwarts had NOTHING to do with this debacle." The dark haired Potion Master of Hogwarts, Severus Snape drawled before sneering at Harry. "If anyone is to blame, I believe it is the boy's own doing. He's just like his arrogant, gloryhound of a fa..."

Snape didn't get the chance to finish what he was saying. Faster then the eye could see, Harry had drawn his sword and pointed it at the Potions Master who was shocked into silence.

"I don't know you buddy. But if you finish that sentence, you can be damned sure that I'm cutting something off. If there's something that I will NEVER accept, its people badmouthing my family." Harry said coldly before swinging his sword around to point at the rest of the occupants who, except for Dumbledore and McGonagall, were warily eyeing him.

"And as for the rest of you, are you guys fucking retarded? Why in the hell would I willingly put myself in a life threatening situation in a tournament I don't even know about?" He stated, before re-sheathing his sword. "As far as I'm concerned, you can have this tournament coz I sure as hell don't want any part in this."

"Now see here..." Bagman started to bluster before Harry cuts him off with a vicious look.

"Shut it blondie." Harry snarls. "This entire thing is a damned joke and I'm not going to be a part of it."

"But you have to compete! You are bound by the contract." Barty insisted, causing Harry to turn his attention to him.

"Contract? What are you talking about? I never signed any contract for this." Harry said before asking. "And who are you anyway? You seem to know an awful lot about this tournament?"

"My name is Barty Crouch and I'm the head of both the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Department of International Magical Cooperation. And I know a lot because I'm in charge of the tournament." Barty identified himself. "The moment your name came out of the goblet, you were bound by a magical contract to compete in the tournament. No exceptions."

"I see. I don't suppose YOU know how my name came out of the goblet?" Harry asked in a steely voice while fingering his sheathed sword.

"Of course not. And it does not matter now." Crouch said defensively. "You WILL compete or you will lose your magic."

Harry grew silent for a few moments at Crouch's statement before suddenly laughing out long and hard. "Bwahahahaha! Lose my... Hahahaha! Oh that's a good one... Lose my magic? Oh my gut..."

"What in Merlin's name are you finding amusing boy?" Crouch demanded, growing peeved that Harry seemed to be laughing at him but succeeded in only making him laugh harder.

"You will have to forgive Harry but it is not really his fault that he is acting this way." Dumbledore smoothly interjected. "After all, it is rather difficult to 'lose' your magic when magic counts you as one of her kin."

Crouch stares at Dumbledore in confusion before asking. "What are you babbling about Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore crosses over and places a hand on Harry's shoulder. At this point, revealing Harry's heritage seems to be the only option if he wanted to keep him safe. "I am saying that Hecate who is the Goddess of Witchcraft and Magic counts Harry James Potter as one of her kin." He said with a serene smile. "And that Harry James Potter himself is the son of the Messenger God, Hermes."

Author's Notes: Something new for you guys. Please R&R. Thanks :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Return Of A Demigod**

_Previously: "Harry is the son of the messenger god, Hermes."_

Everyone grew silent at Dumbledore's declaration. A few moments later, the room explodes. Everyone bent on denying the headmaster's pronouncement.

But none more admanant then Crouch himself.

"What are you babbling about Dumbledore? The son of Hermes? Preposterous!" Crouch said derisively. "Mr. Potter is a wizard just like everyone else here even if he himself does not know it yet and as such, is subject to the rules of the tournament."

"A wizard who hasn't been living in our society for more then a decade." McGonagall reminded him.

"And whose fault is that? Believe me when I say that we will be getting to the bottom of that." Crouch shot back. "That won't matter because he will STILL compete."

"Then I suppose it would be a stretch for you to believe that I myself am a child of Hecate herself?" Dumbledore asks dryly.

"You truly are growing senile, Dumbledore. Of course I do not believe you." Crouch sneered. "Let me make myself perfectly clear. The gods of Olympus... DO... NOT... EXIST!"

Just as Crouch says this, howling winds started gathering black clouds high above the castle and lightning flashes angrily across the darkened skies. At the same time, the earth rumbles loudly and cracks open beneath them and the Black Lake that surrounded the castle started furiously churning. The girl with Madame Maxine screams in fear at what she was witnessing while the others were looking around in panic.

"Wow! Way to go pissing off the Big Three of the Pantheon dumbass!" Harry said lightly, the only one apart from Dumbledore who looked utterly unconcerned at the near apocalyptic phenomenon going on just outside the castle walls. "I think this is the first time in a long, long while that Zeus, Poseidon and Hades got along for something."

"Merlin help us." Bagman whimpered in fear.

Crouch grabs Harry by both shoulders and demands. "How are you doing this boy? HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

"Alright. First off, I'm not the one doing this. Its those three cooperating together." Harry said stonily before looking at Crouch's hand which was still grabbing him by the shoulders. "And secondly, get your goddamned mitts of me before I do something you'll regret."

"A likely story. I KNOW that you and Dumbledore are responsible for this hoax. Cease this at once!" Crouch orders.

Harry glances incredilously at Dumbledore mouthing hoax and gets a shrug in response. He sighs in resignation and says. "Don't say I didn't warn you asshole." He said before locking both of Crouch's arms with his own, pivots and slams him to the ground with a neat judo throw.

Crouch had a look of shock as he layed on the ground looking up at the expressionless face of the Boy-Who-Lived. How dare he! He was an official of the Ministry Of Magic. How dare he throw him around like a bag of garbage. He will not stand for this.

Scrambling clumsily back to his feet, Crouch draws his wand and aims at Harry, fully intending to hex him.

But nothing happens.

Crouch tries again but still nothing happens.

"W-What? What is this?" Crouch stammers, looking at his wand in shock. "Why can't I use my magic?"

"Oh dear. It would seem like Zeus, Poseidon and Hades are not the only ones you've upset Barty." Dumbledore mused. "I don't think mother liked what you said either."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME DUMBLEDORE? RETURN MY MAGIC THIS INSTANCE!" Crouch screams.

"I'm afraid that it is not mine to return Barty." Dumbledore said, all humor gone from his grandfatherly features as he watches Crouch sink to his knees in despair. "You've incurred the wrath of the Pantheon with what you've said and are now paying the price for it. I'd like to say that I sympathize with your plight but you DID insult members of my family so I'd be lying if I did."

The Headmaster then turns to Harry. "Harry? If you would be so kind? I believe that Mr. Crouch's punishment is sufficient so there is no need to destroy Hogwarts to prove their point." He instructs his nephew, shocking everyone present at his rather cavelier attitude about the whole situation.

Harry nods and walks over to the nearest window and sticks his head out for a few moments before sticking it back in and shutting it. Outside the castle, the black cloud dissipates, the rumbling of the earth vanishes with the cracks and the Black Lake calms.

Its as if nothing ever happened.

"It all stopped." The female champion from Beauxbatons mutters in wonder before looking at Harry with a healthy flush on her pretty features.

"W... What is he?" Kakaroff whispers fearfully. If this was the power that the Dark Lord was to face, he had NO wish to be anywhere near them when they finally confronted and battled each other.

"S-So its true?" Bagman whispers fearfully.

Snape was having difficulty reconciling with the fact that his hated enemy, James Potter was actually a god of Olympus. But thinking back, it all made sense to him. How else could he have gotten away with all the things that he did.

And now, his spawn was competing as the fourth champion in the tournament and attacking him even indirectly seemed like less and less of a good idea if he had to go by what happened to Crouch.

"Ok. Now that we've established that I WON'T lose my magic if I don't compete, I think its time I get back to the camp." Harry said. "We were in the middle of a game of Capture The Flag and I'm NOT letting the Ares cabin get the win now."

"You still have to compete."

Harry turned to Crouch who was still on his knees. "What was that?" He asks dispassionately.

"I said you still have to compete." Crouch said, sounding absolutely devastated. "Your magic may not be taken away but your non participation will put the other champions at risk."

Harry's temper flares at this. He marches over to Crouch and easily lifts him up by the lapels of his suit despite being bigger then the boy. "Explain. And for your sake, it better be a damned good one." He growls.

"If one champion does not compete, the inherent magic of the Goblet will take away the participant's magic as per the magical contract." Crouch explains. "But seeing as the Goblet is such a powerful artifact, the magic of one individual may not be enough and it may take more from the other champions. And since as you are not affected by the contract..."

"It'll take it's prescribed toll off of the other champions instead. Just WONDERFUL. WHAT THE FUCK KINDA" TOURNAMENT ARE YOU ASSHOLES RUNNING HERE ANYWAYS?!" Harry finished angrily, at which Crouch feels himself being tossed back onto the ground in disgust. Harry then stomps away to try and regain some semblance of control to himself.

"T-That's insane." Cedric Diggory who had been a silent spectator all this time made his feelings known. His head of house stood nearby with a hand over her mouth in distress.

"Merde..." The french champion whispers.

"This is outrageous!" The Durmstrang headmaster bellows. "We were never informed of this!" His ward Victor Krum who had also been a silent competitor also looked dangerously upset at Crouch's revelation.

"Neither were we." A paling McGonagall stated before she turned her gaze at Dumbledore whose normally twinkly blue eyes were now chips of ice behind his glasses as he stares at Crouch.

"Which begs the question Barty. When were you going to inform us about this?" Dumbledore asks almost too calmly.

"We never expected anyone refusing to compete. Being a Champion in the Tri-Wizard Tournament has always been an honor!" Crouch defended himself.

"Not at ze cost of our ward's magic!" Madame Maxine stated angrily, looking like she wanted to rip the poor man in two with her bare hands. "Dumblydor! You have to do something!"

"My sincerest apologies Madame Maxine but Hogwarts was only tasked with hosting the event." Dumbledore said regretfully, never taking his eyes off Crouch. "Had I known about this beforehand, I would have NEVER allowed them to revive the tournament in my capacity as Chief Warlock."

"Dumbledore is not to blame here. Its whoever put my name in that damned goblet in the first place." Harry's voice cuts in. Everyone looks over to where the boy was standing as he stared out the window. "As I've said, this is all a blasted setup to get me here and I'm going to find out who did it and kick his ass. If that means competing in this farce, then so be it."

"Harry..." Dumbledore starts but Harry interrupts.

"No Uncle Albus. We all have an idea who the culprit is and I'm done hiding. And I can't risk the safety of the other champions by my non participation." Harry said before his expression softens. "You and the others did your part and I'm grateful for it. Now let me do mine and end this before things escalate."

Dumbledore couldn't help but feel proud of his nephew. But at the same time, he STILL feared for his safety. After all, the Dark Lord and his forces were no laughing matter even with all the preparation Harry has had.

But Dumbledore resolved to do everything in his considerable power to assist him in his endeavor, the rules be damned. He was family after all and family always stood by each other no matter what.

**...**

After going to his uncle's office and asking for his Phoenix familiar Fawkes's assistance in delivering a letter to Chiron, McGonagall leads Harry towards one of the guest rooms in the castle. Before he enters the room though, the stern Deputy Headmistress touches his shoulder to get his attention.

"It took a lot of courage to do what you did back there and know that your parents would have been very proud of you Harry." McGonagall said with a rare smile.

"Don't be Aunt Minnie. It was the right thing to do so I shouldn't get any accolades for it." Harry stated.

"They STILL would have been proud of you nonetheless. As are me and Albus." McGonagall stated before adding mischievously. "On the other hand, your mother would have tanned your hide for developing such a vulgar vocabulary."

Harry had to crack a grin at this. "That's probably true too. Blame TV and movies for it. Good night then Aunt Minnie. See you tomorrow." He said entering the room.

"Good night Harry." McGonagall said as she walks away.

Setting aside his armor and weapons, Harry lies down on the lone bed in the modestly furnished bedroom and wonders exactly what sort of events he was supposed to compete in during the tournament. He wasn't that worried if it were a physical task as he knew he was fit enough to tackle any challenge. It was the magical aspect which concerned him.

As he was mulling over his options, Fawkes flames in carrying what seemed to be his backpack from the camp.

"Have a good trip Fawkes?" Harry greets as he retrieves his bag from the phoenix who thrills a reply.

"Good to know Chiron is on top of things. Thanks for bringing me my stuff." Harry said. The Phoenix thrills its response and flames away, leaving Harry to rummage around his backpack.

"Good. It looks like all my stuff is here and... What the fuck?" Tucked in his bag together with his personal belongings is a scroll which Harry recognized as the kind which contained a quest of some sort.

But that couldn't be right could it? There was supposed to be a prophecy involved when undergoing a quest. And the only prophecy he knew of was...

His hand shook as he opened the scroll and understood why it was delivered to him.

_In the trials of the champions called_

_You shall encounter evil's completed soul_

_For when the Dark Lord rises from the boneyard's toll_

_One shall stand and one shall fall_

Voldemort was returning and one way or another, one of them was going to die.

Author's Notes: Chapter two of the new fic for you. Go do what you gotta do guys :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Power Play**

_Previously: Voldemort was coming back and one way or another, one of them was going to die._

Harry woke up early next morning and as per his everyday habit back in the camp, went for his usual morning run and calisthenics wearing a hooded sweatsuit, jogging pants and a sturdy pair of running shoes. And everywhere he went around the castle, the students can be seen gawking at him or whispering amongst themselves at the unusual sight (at least to them) of someone actually doing some sort of physical activity so early in the morning.

Harry ignored them of course and focused on his own training. After which, he goes back to his assigned room to take a bath and dresses up in a gray, long sleeved shirt, jeans and his favorite pair of sneakers and dons a leather jacket as it was rather cold in Hogwarts. After putting a few more items in his pocket, he waits for McGonagall who picks him up to take him to the Main Hall for breakfast.

His arrival in the Main Hall was also met with a lot of gawking, calculating looks and whispers from the students. So much so that it was starting to get annoying.

"What's the matter with you people? It's like you haven't seen someone come in here for breakfast before!" He said loudly. This effectively prompts the students to go back minding their own business.

Satisfied that he had diverted the attention away from him for the moment, Harry walks up to the Faculty's table to say good morning to his uncle. And as he was walking over, he notes that a number of the instructors were watching him closely. In particular, the greasy bat from yesterday, a little mustachioed midget, a huge hairy giant and a creepy looking guy with an actual moving artificial eye whose face looked like a wild animal chewed on it.

"Good morning Uncle Albus." He greeted the Headmaster.

"Good morning Harry. I trust you have slept well?" Albus greeted back.

"A little cold but it was alright." Harry said with a smile.

"Excellent. Now seeing that Gryffindor House is the only one without a Champion in their presence, maybe you could join them for breakfast." Dumbledore said, gesturing towards a table whose occupants wore black robes with red and gold trim. Harry nods in assent and walks over to the table.

"My word... Is that...?" The midget who was the half goblin Charms professor and Head of the house of Ravenclaw, Filius Flitwick squeaks.

"Indeed it is Filius. That is Harry Potter." Dumbledore said. "The son of James and Lily Potter."

"That's 'Arry? The last time I saw him, he was nothin' more then a wee babe." The giant who was Hogwart's Groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid said. "Where has he been all this time, Professor?"

"He has been safe Hagrid. As he should have been." McGonagall answered for Dumbledore. "And if I had it my way, he would not be involved in this."

"But he is now." The scarred man who was Hogwarts's new DADA professor rumbled. "I don't know how or why but the Dark Lord somehow found a way to confound the goblet to include him in the tournament for whatever purpose he may have. He wasn't given a choice on the matter."

"I'm afraid you're wrong Alastor. Harry DID have a choice" Dumbledore corrected him. "He could have walked away but he simply didn't want anybody else to suffer if he made the decision not to participate so here he is." Before the man identified as Alastor Moody could ask, Dumbledore raises his hand to stop him. "All will be explained in our meeting Alastor. But for now let us have our breakfast in relative peace first."

Deciding not to push the issue further, Moody settles for watching the Boy-Who-Lived as he approached the Gryffindor table.

**...**

Neville Longbottom was sorted to Gryffindor but had to learn to be brave the hard way.

Once thought to be a squib by his family due to his lack of magical ability, it took Uncle Algie purposely dropping him from a window for him to achieve his first bout of accidental magic. But even after that, his family STILL never thought of him as anything more then a failure.

So when his letter from Hogwarts came, he was ecstatic. He thought he could finally prove himself as a true wizard to his family and be someone they could be proud of.

Easier said then done.

Despite being sorted into the house of the brave, Neville's meek unassertive nature and the pressure of trying to live up to the legacy of his parents who were driven mad by Bellatrix Lestrange via Crucio held him back. He was extremely clumsy, easily bullied, a disaster at Potions and at best, sub-par in his other subjects except for Herbology.

In short, he was a joke and nobody really took him seriously.

That is until Halloweens Eve three years ago.

During the Annual Halloweens Feast, their DADA professor back then named Quirrel had ran into the room declaring that there was mountain troll on the loose in the school before promptly fainting.

There was certainly panic back then but nobody doing it more so then Neville. The reason for this was one of his friends, Hermione Granger had a row with another friend, Ron Weasley for allegedly being such a 'know-it-all', after which the girl had run off to the bathroom crying because of that row and had yet to return. So he did the only thing he could do under the circumstances, he forcibly drags Ron Weasley with him to go look for the bookish Gryffindor girl before the troll finds her.

They did eventually find Hermione who locked herself in a toilet stall in the girl's bathroom. Unfortunately for them, the troll also finds them there trying to convince her to come out and leave with them.

To his own surprise, Neville stood his ground against the troll and with a little help from Ron and Hermione, even managed to knock it unconscious by levitating and dropping its own club on its head though he suffered a number of injuries in the fight which included a broken leg, cracked ribs and a concussion.

All in all, he could have been far worse off. While he was distressed that he had missed so much of his classes while he was laid out in the infirmary, he was NOT distressed to know that he had missed the succeeding events preceeding the troll incident which culminated in a battle between Dumbledore and Quirrel whom, Hermione had informed him, had apparently been possessed by Voldemort. Honestly speaking, the thought of two of the most powerful wizards he knew dueling in front of the entire school still terrified him.

Neville was cited for his outstanding bravery by Dumbledore himself during the Closing Feast of his first year which earned Gryffindor the House Cup. He FINALLY had done something that his family could be proud of. Even Gran had to admit that.

But Neville's adventures did not stop there.

Second year brought a whole new set of challenge when a series of mysterious attacks left students and faculty petrified in the school and opening of the Chamber Of Secrets prompted the ministry to arrest his giant frient Hagrid. Those coupled with the addition of their new (But STILL useless) celebrity DADA professor Gilderoy Lockhart left Neville wondering if he'd actually survive this year.

But luck seemed to be on the young Longbottom heir's side as he had chanced upon one of the newest member of Gryffindor Ginny Weasley entering what looked like a trap door inside the girl's bathroom in a daze. He manages to follow the youngest Weasley through the trapdoor and finds himself in the Chamber Of Secrets where he discovers the reason for her unusual behavior. Another case of possession which in this instance was because of a mysterious diary that she had been writing on for some days now.

It was also here that Neville discovered another horrifying secret when a spectre from the diary named Tom Riddle identified himself as Voldemort and that he was the Heir Of Slytherin trying to get a new body using the cursed diary Ginny had.

Of course, Neville had openly declared that he would stop him somehow which, in retrospect, probably wasn't one of his smartest ideas because Riddle responded by summoning the Basilisk which had been responsible for the numerous attacks in the school to kill him while he completed the ritual which would transfer his soul into Ginny's body.

Fortunately for Neville, Dumbledore had managed to locate him after members of the Gryffindor house had informed the old wizard of Neville's absence and teleports into the chamber using Fawkes to save him. And after the Headmaster ends the Basilisk's reign of terror on the school by killing it, he instructs Neville to remove one of its fangs and stab the diary with it, destroying the accursed object and banishing the spectre that had been Tom Riddle thus saving Ginny from what could have been a horrendous fate.

By the time his second year was ending, Neville was starting to regret wanting to stand out amongst his peers. All he wanted was a little acknowledgment for his efforts but instead, people were starting to think that he was the true Boy-Who-Lived due to his exploits. A title which he neither wanted nor needed.

His third year proved to be no less dangerous then his first two. Not only did he have to deal with the rumors that wanted felon Sirius Black was coming to Hogwarts for his head, there was also the Dementors assigned by the Ministry to 'guard' the school and had almost killed him on two separate occasions.

There were a few bright spots during that year though. One was the hiring of an actual competent professor of DADA to replace the ponce teaching the class previously who had been arrested for fraud and illegal use of the Obliviation spell. His replacement was a rumpled looking wizard named Remus Lupin who was far more skilled then his appearance suggested. Another one was him being accepted into the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a reserve keeper which had done wonders to his self confidence.

But of course, no year in Neville Longbottom's tenure in Hogwarts was complete without some sort of life threatening scenario which, in this case, came in the form of Sirius Black's mysterious attack on the Gryffindor dorm and his subsequent appearance in the Shrieking Shack together with his accomplice Professor Lupin which Neville, Hermione and Ron had been investigating.

But it was also there that Black and Lupin revealed the true reason for their return to Hogwarts. And it was the capture of their former friend Peter Pettigrew who was the actual Secret Keeper of the Potter family and illegal animagus who had been in hiding as the Weasley family rat, Scabbers.

But their capture of the traitor was interrupted by Snape who had followed the three students to Shrieking Shack and had angrily confronted both Black and Lupin. He was quickly stunned in unconsciousness and restrained but Pettigrew took advantage of the chaos to escape.

It was then that Neville bore witness to one of the most terrifying sights in his life. The transformation of Professor Lupin into a werewolf. It would seem that in his haste in wanting to capture Pettigrew, Lupin failed to take into account that tonight was the full moon. Now his failure to capture the traitor coupled with the fact that he was not able to take his Wolfsbane potion sent him over the edge. But fortunately, Black in his animagus form of a grim provided enough of a distraction for the three students to escape.

Soon after, the Dementors were recalled and Dumbledore revealed at the ending feast that Sirius Black was acquitted of all his crimes when evidence surfaced that he was NOT the Potter's secret keeper. But the bad news was that Professor Lupin would be resigning from his post due to the fact that he had been revealed as a werewolf.

All in all, it had been another danger filled school year and Neville could only sigh in relief that he was once again spared a gruesome death.

So when the fourth year came and the announcement that the highly dangerous Triwizard Tournament was coming to Hogwarts, Neville was fairly certain that this was what was finally going to kill him.

To his relief, none of the first three name to come out of the Goblet Of Fire was his. But when the goblet flared for a fourth and final time, he felt a sense of impending doom till the name was announced.

Harry Potter.

Now there was a name that he hadn't heard of for a while. Gran often told him stories of the brave Potter family and their alliance with the Longbottoms. Their ties was so close that he and Harry Potter was supposed to be godbrothers. But James and Lily Potter had been killed by Voldemort who, in turn, was somehow killed by the infant Harry Potter before disappearing from the face of the Wizarding World for fifteen years.

Till now.

"Excuse me. Is this seat taken?"

Neville looks up, startled by the fact that he didn't even sense the object of his musings walk up to him at the Gryffindor table.

"N-No it's not. Go right ahead." Neville said, moving over. The other members of the Gryffindor house could only openly gape as Harry nods gratefully and sits besides Neville, looking at the generous feast that was prepared for breakfast.

"Quite a spread you've got here..." Harry stated as he started helping himself to some food before he realized he didn't bother asking for the kid's name which, in retrospect, seemed a bit rude. "...I'm sorry. Where are my manners. The name's Harold James Potter. Just call me Harry though Mister...?" Harry prompted offering a hand.

"Longbottom." Nevile answered, shaking the proffered hand. "Neville Francis Longbottom. Call me Neville."

"Nice to meet you Neville." Harry said with a smile, noting that Neville's hands were rough and his grip firm which meant this guy seems to be the hands on kind of guy. "Hmm... My godfather said that my other godparents were Longbottoms. I don't supposed you're related to them, are you?"

"They're my parents which makes me your godbrother." Neville said before his face fell. "Unfortunately, they were one of the casualties during the last war."

Harry looked somber at is. "Dammit. Sorry to hear that Neville. And sorry for bringing up bad memories."

Neville shook his head in response. "Don't worry about it. The perpetrators are rotting in Azkaban for it now." He then gestures towards his companions in the table. "I don't believe you've also met my other friends from Gryffindor."

Harry was then introduced to the rest of the Gryffindor house. Notable among them were four members of the Weasley Clan which included the twins fun loving twins George and Fred (Though they insisted on Harry to call them Gred and Forge), the Quidditch crazy (Or at least, according to the twins, Chudley Cannons crazy) Ron as well as the youngest of the brood named Ginny whose fiery red hair reminded Harry of his mom in the pictures he'd seen while she was younger. Then there's Hermione Granger. A student who, Neville informed him, was probably the smartest witch of her age and if he ever needed some information, she was the person to talk to which Harry mentally resolved to do if he was going to prepare for this crazy tournament.

He was also introduced to a myriad of other students such as the excitable Creevy brothers, Colin and Dennis (Though Harry preferred to call them Creepy brothers since both seemed to demonstrate stalkerish behavior especially with that camera), Gryffindor's resident gossips Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil (Who had a twin in Ravenclaw House), Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet who were all chasers in the Gryffindor Quidditch house team, Lee Jordan who was the Quidditch game announcer, the irishman Seamus Finnegan and the artistic (at least according to him) Dean Thomas.

But as Harry was busy mingling with the Gryffindor house, an unwelcome presence makes itself known.

"Wow squib. Looks like you've got yourself a new friend. And look who it is. None other then the Boy-Who-Fled." A snooty voice said, followed by derisive laughs.

Neville had to close his eyes and count to ten to compose himself. If there was another constant in his life here at Hogwarts, it was Slytherin's Draco Malfoy and his miscreants. They were bullies of the highest order who got away with practically everything since their head of house Snape lets them get away with it and undermined him and his group every step of the way.

"Go away Malfoy. Nobody wants you here." Ron snarls at the intruder.

"You can't make me Weasley. You KNOW you'll get in trouble for even looking at me wrong." Draco said. "I came here to see for myself how special Harry Potter is and I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. Cavorting with mudbloods, squibs and Blood Traitors Potter? I thought better of you."

For his part, Harry slowly turns his head to look at the speaker. The kid that they called Draco Malfoy was blonde haired dick whose sneer made him seem constipated. His companions were no better since both lumbering boys who were shadowing Draco looked dumber then bricks and the sole girl of the group reminded him of a pug with her upturned nose.

"I'm sorry but do I know you?" Harry asks, deciding to go with being civil just to give him a chance.

"My name is Draco Malfoy and you, Harry Potter, are associating yourself with all the wrong sorts just like your father did with your mudblood mother." Draco stated snidely.

There were gasps around the Gryffindor table and murderous looks were thrown at the Slytherin contingent. Harry's expression grew chillingly cold at Draco's statement.

"Is that so?" Harry drawled and sounded deceptively calm. Neville knew better though and began to edge further away from him in fear. Relatively brave as he was, he wasn't foolish enough to interject himself in this situation either. Not when there was a palpable aura of violence around Harry which Draco was unaware of. And it appeared that the rest Gryffindor picked up on this and gave Harry a wide berth. "Would you maybe like to reconsider your words?"

"What for? I'm simply telling the truth. Bad enough you've got your mudblood mother's running through your veins. Your reintroduction to the Wizarding world shouldn't be with all this rabble. It should be with pureblood families like mine. I can help you with that." Draco said offering his hand.

Harry looks at the proffered hand for a moment before shaking it with a wide smile. Draco suddenly cries out in pain and drops to his knees with his hand still in Harry's crushing grip. Immediately, the rest of Draco's companions draw their wands and points it at Harry only for all of the occupants of the Gryffindor table stand up and point THEIR wands at them.

Ignoring the standoff, Harry kneels on one knee in front of Draco while still holding on to his hand. "You know something Draco? Normally, I'd ignore anything you'd say because you seem like the type of guy who likes to spew all kinds of shit from your mouth on a regular basis. Besides that, you're just a goddamned kid as well and it doesn't sit well with me to have to put the smackdown on a minor. But here's a little sample of exactly what I'd do to you if you call ANY of my family names again." A loud crack and one girlish scream later, Draco is in a fetal position on the floor as he clutched his broken hand. Snape was quickly besides him and looked up at a stony Harry Potter with hateful eyes.

"How dare you Potter! You're just like your useless git of a father. I'll see you a..." Without warning, Harry drew back and delivers a devastating right cross which dumps the potion master on his ass and breaks his hooked nose. Snape looks up at Harry with shock as he tried to staunch the bleeding of his nose.

"I've warned you before but you didn't listen greaseball. I don't take shit from anybody ESPECIALLY if it involves my family. You're damned lucky I don't have my sword right now." Harry said coldly.

Before things could escalate between the two, Dumbledore quickly intervenes. "Stop this right now everyone. Harry! Stand down!" He orders, forcing the bespectacled teen to reluctantly back down looking abashed and the dueling houses to lower their wands. "I'm ashamed of you! You should have better control then this no matter what anybody say."

The Headmaster then turns his attention to Snape who looked distinctly nervous. "And as for you Professor Snape, I too have warned you against antagonizing Mister Potter but you chose not to heed my warning. Clearly I have given you too much leeway and your negligence shows in the appalling behavior of your snakes. 100 points and one month detention for Slytherin and Mister Malfoy for antagonizing a guest of Hogwarts."

"W-What about P-Potter..." Malfoy gritted out, glaring at Harry.

"He shall also be punished for his actions but it shall not be Hogwarts handing out his punishments." Dumbledore informs him. "And he shall apologize for injuring both you and Professor Snape."

Harry seemed mutinous at this but Dumbledore gives him a look and Harry sighs in resignation before facing the two injured parties. "I apologize that our confrontation had to result in me hurting you two. But I don't regret my actions because you had it coming. It may be acceptable behavior here to bully and insult people but it's NOT to me and if a person crosses the line, then you can be damned sure that I'll be dealing with it in my own way. Not your school's way but MY own way."

He then faces the other students in the hall. "You know something? I was actually content to just coast through this entire charade in order to give the rightful champions their rightful shot at this thing. But I can see that a lot of you guys here don't think I can actually do it because I'm some sort of outsider, right? Well screw all of you then. You want my best? I'll give you my best."

Harry then smiles ferally. "And I can think of no better way to stick it to the guy who got me involved here in the first place then to win the Triwizard Tournament."

Author's Notes: New chappie out. Your turn guys. P.S. You might want to reread the first couple of chapters as I did a few tweaks to the story :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Pantheon Cometh**

_Previously: "And I can think of no better way to stick it to the guy who got me involved here in the first place then to win the Triwizard Tournament."_

The spy was enraged. His perfectly crafted plan to sacrifice the Boy-Who-Lived to his master was slowly falling to pieces. He had thought that the boy would be weak and untrained since he was raised outside of the wizarding world and that rumors of his divine heritage was just that. Rumors.

But instead, he gets a formidable young man trained in physical combat and who truly seem to have divine blood flowing through his veins.

On a positive note though, this was also an unexpected boon for him. If he were to use the boy's blood in the ritual which would resurrect his master, then the dark lord would be more powerful then ever and he would be richly rewarded for his loyalty and efforts.

The spy would need to adjust his plans accordingly.

**...**

Harry was pissed as he sat back down to finish his meal. He hadn't meant to fly off the handle like he did and cause a scene in the Great Hall. As a matter of fact, it was the last thing he wanted to do.

But that little blonde prick and the greasy bat just couldn't take a hint and made things personal and he let his temper get the better of him. It was damned lucky too that he decided NOT to bring his weapons too or else things would have gotten real messy and more permanent. Not that what he did was any less violent.

So now, it would seem like he was gonna be in trouble with whoever the hell was going to get stuck with him here while he competed in this godforsaken tournament representing the 'Pantheon' and it wasn't even twenty four hours yet.

"That was wicked mate. Way to show those evil slimy snakes." The guy called Ron Weasley said to him after a while.

"Evil slimy snakes?" Harry repeated quizzically. It was the girl Hermione who enlightened him.

"I believe Ron is alluding to the fact that Professor Snape and Draco are both members of the Slytherin. Every house in Hogwarts has their own guardian beast such as ravens for Ravenclaw, Badgers for Hufflepuff and Lions for Gryffindor. Slytherin's guardian beast happens to be a snake." Hermione said, looking disapprovingly at Harry. "And while it was good to see them knocked down a few pegs, I can't say I approve of the manner you accomplished the task. That is simply not the way we do things here."

"You may have forgotten that I'm NOT a student of Hogwarts Miss Granger." Harry said bluntly. "Besides, I think you'll find that my response to their insults to my family is rather tame considering where I came from. Wars and blood feuds have been started for much less then that."

"But you broke Draco's wrist and Professor Snape's nose." Hermione pointed out.

"And I'll do that again or something worse to ANYONE who thinks its a good idea to insult my family." Harry said before leveling a stare at Ron. "Irregardless if they're from the house of ravens, badgers, lions OR snakes."

"B-But Slytherin house is evil! Everyone knows that." Ron argued.

"And there lies your problem buddy. You guys stereotype people." Harry stated. "I've done some reading about your history here and I can't say I'm impressed. Just because majority of the members of an evil magical terrorist organization that existed twelve to fifteen years ago came from the house of Slytherin doesn't automatically mean everyone from their house is also evil."

"I mean, just look at them." Harry said, sweeping a hand towards the Slytherin's table. "Do they honestly look like magical terrorists in training to you? There may be a few bad eggs in the mix but they're mostly just students hoping to pass their next goddamned exams and if anything, your attitude towards them is probably what's driving them towards the darkside in the first place."

Ron had no response for this and instead resorted to clamming up and glaring at Harry. After all, how could he understand where Ron was coming from when he had been absent from the wizarding world for more then a decade? And he wasn't alone in this.

"Don't you all give me that look. You know what I'm saying is true." Harry snapped, noticing Ron and a few others from the Gryffindor table giving him the evil eye.

"Look Harry. I apologize for my housemates but..." Neville started but was cut off by Harry.

"Neville. Please don't tell me you're going to apologize for your housemates then say something stupid like it's always Slytherin who starts the fights here coz I ain't buying it." Harry said and got no response from the Longbottom heir. "That's what I thought. The fact is, you guys got so wrapped up in your rivalry with each other that the truth didn't even matter anymore."

Harry then got out of his place besides Neville and starts walking around the table and continuing. "Everything in this place so far has been a study in contradictions. You say that you're always being bullied by members of the Slytherin house when in fact, there's only a few pricks like that Malfoy kid who actually bullies you and the rest just simply ignores you."

"And Gryffindor isn't exactly innocent of any crimes either. How do you think a member of the house of Slytherin who was just minding his or her own business would feel if he becomes the target of a cruel prank from you guys. And don't even try to deny it coz I've heard horror stories from Uncle Albus and Aunt Minnie." Harry said bluntly causing a pair of Gryffindor twins to suddenly wince in realization.

"And don't even get me started on this stupid competition. It clearly states that it's a TRI-WIZARD tournament which means that there should only be three participants who are ALL supposed to be witches and wizards." Harry ranted on. "So answer me this. How the hell di I, a non-wizard, end up getting picked and being required to participate in this shindig?"

By this time, nearly everyone in the hall was straining to hear the conversation between the champion of the Pantheon and two of the three members of Gryffindor's Golden Trio. And it was clear that Harry Potter was not one to blindly follow what has been a norm in the wizarding world for years now.

In particular, the Headmaster and surprisingly, the potion master of Hogwarts seemed rather satisfied at what Harry was saying. Dumbledore because of his pride in his nephew and Snape because the boy was openly voicing out what he also believed to be the foolish misconceptions of the wizarding society in Britain. It also helped that Harry's eyes and volatile temper reminded him more of Lily rather then James.

Maybe he had been wrong about him and resolved to at least have a discussion with his house about avoiding a confrontation with him.

But before Harry could say anything else, Dumbledore interrupts him.

"As educational as this has been, I'm afraid I have to cut it short Harry. I believe that the representatives of the Pantheon have just arrived and are seeking audience." Dumbledore said just as the massive door to the Great Hall opens and four figures stride in.

Instantly recognizable was the acquitted convict, Sirius Black who looked resplendent in his robes as the acknowledged head of the Black family.

The Hogwarts populace also recognized the haggard looking Remus Lupin who had been the DADA teacher a year before.

The third was a pink haired female wearing the robes of an Auror who Dumbledore recognized as an alumni of Hogwarts and cousin to Sirius Black, Nymphadora (DON'T CALL ME NYMPHADORA!) Tonks.

But it was the fourth and final member of the visiting entourage who drew the most attention simply because he was not human at all but rather, a centaur. A blonde haired man with the lower body of a chestnut Palomino who Dumbledore mentally identified as Firenze due to the hoofmark on his chest due to being literally kicked out of the herd in the Forbidden Forest by Bane.

All of them , even the normally laid back Firenze, strode in with a purpose and none of them looked all too pleased either.

"Harry! Where's Harry?" Black demands as he enters the Great Hall.

"Right here Padfoot." Harry said as we walks towards the entourage and was suddenly enveloped in an embrace by both Black and Tonks while Lupin stood back with a small smile. "Ooofff... Easy there Padfoot, Tonks. I'm perfectly fine here." He said, smiling at them. Ever since he met the Black cousins and the werewolf five years ago, they were nothing if not protective of Harry not only because he was the son of Sirius's best friend but also because he was technically a part of the Black Family.

"You bloody hell are not! You shouldn't even be here!" Sirius exclaims before his slate gray eyes flashes coldly as he looks around the Great Hall. "Crouch, you bleeding bastard! Come out of whatever hidey hole you're inside of because you've got a LOT of explaining to do. It isn't enough that you put me in bloody Azkaban without a trial so now you're going to try and kill my godson?"

"Barty has gotten ill and is not present at the moment, Sirius." Dumbledore informs the enraged ex felon. "And I rather think that he will not be a factor in the immediate future."

"Yeah, I heard that Mr. Crouch got sick." Tonks spoke up. "But is it really that serious?"

"Lets put it this way Cousin Tonks. Crouch said some things which he shouldn't have and now, he's paying for it in a major way." Harry said with a grin.

It was Lupin who was able to put two and two together and realized what Harry meant. "Oh Merlin. He didn't!"

"He did." Harry confirms. "And all THREE of them responded rather negatively."

By this time, Sirius had also caught on. "And the school is still standing?" He asks incredulously.

"Crouch was punished by HIS mom instead because he chose to involve her." Harry informed them, jerking a thumb at Dumbledore, making them pale even further. "I think we can all agree that her way is particularly bad for a wizard, right?"

"Quite right." Lupin said. Even though he was fully capable of manual labor being experienced in concealing his magic while he worked in the muggle world, Lupin still couldn't imagine his life without his magic.

"Merlin. Crouch is finished." Tonks commented, knowing what sort of treatment Crouch was likely to encounter should the Ministry ever discover that he lost his magic.

"Harry is still stuck competing in this Merlin forsaken tournament though." Sirius spoke up, bringing them all back to the reason why they were here in the first place. "If he has to compete, then I'll make bloody sure that he's going to be ready for ANYTHING Barty had planned."

"I CAN take care of myself. You know that, right Sirius?" Harry said, sounding a little offended.

"Ordinarily, you most certainly can cub." Remus answers. "But you also know that if you're here, then chances are that whoever is responsible will make certain that things will NOT be in your favor."

Harry nods at this before turning towards the centaur. "You've been awfully quiet there. Should I assume that Chiron was the one who sent you to me?"

"Indeed little one. My name is Firenze and Herdmaster Chiron bade me to assist you for the duration of your stay here." The identified Firenze said.

"Umm... I think I've been kicked in the ass by Chiron too many times so is it really necessary for you to do the same?" Harry asked nervously.

Firenze couldn't help but crack a smile at this. "I speak not of your combat training. If Chiron was the one who taught you, then there is NOTHING else I could possibly teach you anyways. I am here to act on the Pantheon's behalf and to offer my guidance and insight."

"A beastly centaur offering guidance to a member of a noble family? How far have you fallen Potter?" A voice spoke up from the Slytherin table which earned them a glare from Harry. Nobody seemed willing to identify who the speaker was.

"Well listening to him is a whole lot better then listening to the shit that's coming out of your mouth, that's for sure." Harry said. "I'd tell whoever said that to step up and put his foot where his mouth is but he seems like too much of a little bitch to show his face."

Firenze gazes at the Slytherin table before speaking. "Believe me or not, I shall give you this warning. There is a coming darkness. A darkness so malignant that it spreads like a deadly plague and kills with no regards to blood status."

The centaur then turns to Harry before continuing. "But the light that is capable of dispelling that darkness is also coming. That means, everyone here has a choice when the time comes. Die with the dark or live with the light. I think the choice is rather obvious, do you not agree?"

Author's Notes: Next chappie's done. R&R please :)


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